Fastener structure



Feb. 25, 1958 P. ST. E. WEBB 2,824,351

INVENTOR. BY PAUL STEWEBB 6344, a.

Feb. 25, 1958 s w 2,824,35l

A FASTENER STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 2. 1953 2 Sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.PAULSrE. WEBB BY 6 49. W

United States Patent O FASTENER STRUCTURE Paul St. E. Webb, Wickliife,Ohio Application September 2, 1953, Serial No. 378,069

2 Claims. (Cl. 24-203) The present invention relates to a fastenerstructure and, more particularly, to a fastening device for securingrelatve to each other adjacent edge portions of sheet material drawninto approximately coplanar disposition.

The invention is directed to a fastening structure adapted to hold nadjacent edgewise disposition sheet-like material elements as, forexample, the side panels of a shoe and is described hereinafter as usedfor shoes as a specific application. Thus there is depicted in thedrawings and herein described fastening element, in form preferably asimulated shoe lace, which obviates the interlacing and knottingrequired with a lace. To attain the function of the usual laces, thisinvention provides a fastener body, preferably somewhat resilient, withtwo linear series of lace hole engaging buttons, hooks or likeprojecting means linearly spaced to correspond with aperture spacing,the series being spaced from each other at a distance slightly less thanthe spacing of the rows of lace holes, so that the buttons orprojections of one series may be engaged in one row of lace aperturesand the fastener body somewhat stretched to engage the projections ofthe opposite series with the second row of lace holes. The elastic orresilient action of the connecting material of the fastener body therebyprovides the holding stress attained by taut laces and serves to securethe fastener itself in the shoe.

As most shoes have the two rows of lace apertures disposed in somewhatangular relation, the invention contemplates the provision wherenecessary, of a fastening device having the series of lace hole engagingprojections disposed at an angle. corresponding to the averagedisposition of the lace holes in most shoes, and further, by themanufacture of such device in oversize length, a means is provided forsecuring shoes of varying sizes, and for adaptation to variation in footbulk with a given shoe size, by merely cutting from the length of suchdevice a section of the fastener adapted to the shoe and foot size of aparticular individual.

With this invention as adapted for shoe application, there is provided afastener having the functions, and if desired, a simulated appearance ofa shoe lace, not subject to the usual rapid lace wear and brealcage, yetproviding a tough elastic, durable and washable securing means. Thedevice itself is simple in structure, readily appliedand removable froma shoe, and yet capable of "adequately securing the two sides of a shoeto each other.

An object then of the present invention is the provision of a structurefor edgewise binding to each other of two elements of sheet-likematerial having in the environment of use either edges substantiallyfixed as to the maximum approachability towards each other, or anapplied force tending to draw the edges apart. A more particular objectis the provision of a fastener attaining the usual functions of a shoelace, which is readily applied to and removed from shoes. Another objectis the provision of a shoe fastening device readily adaptable forapplication to any one of a large variety of shoe sizes and styles, andof foot sizes in a given wearer. Other objects and advantages of theinvention will appear from the following description and the drawingswherein:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the fastening device of this invention asadapted for application to a shoe; I

Fig. 2 is a side view in elevation corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows the fastener structure of this invention applied in atypical shoe;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a separate simulated bow for use with thedevice as shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a bottom view corresponding to Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, n Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown thefastener of this invention as adapted for use with shoes in the mannerdepicted in Figs. 4 and 5. The device comprises a planar body portion,here of cunciform outline shape, formed preferably of a resilientmaterial such as rubber, or the synthetic plastic substitutes therefor.This body portion 10 is here shown iin a form smulating the normaldisposition of the usual shoe lacng when in place on a shoe, and thoughan integral structure, includes criss-crossed reaches 11, 12 eachdisposed n the manner of shoe lacng reaches each extending from a lacehole on one side of the shoe to another on the other side. At the apicesof lateral junction of these cross reaches, there are secured lace holeengaging lugs or projections 13 extending downwardly from the bottomside of the body and arranged in lateral series 14, 15 corresponding tothe series of lace perforations at the adjacent edges of the side panelsof the shoe top. These projections, as here shown, comprise metal crownbuttons each having a base 16 or 17 ilange secured to or in the body 10,a globular or bulbular crown o-r head portion 18 separated from thesecuring flange by a constricted body neck 19 of length adapted topermit the element 13 to pass through the lace aperture and engage theleather edgewise in the constriction, or neck with the bulbular headprojecting laterally therefrom pro- Viding purchase against withdrawal.

The body maybe simply die-cut, or stamped from sheet material so thatboth bottom zand top sides would have the appearance of the body portioni n Fig. 3, and then the projections 13 may be secured in place, eitherby mechanical gripping, cementing, or some other suitable manner.However, it is preferable for esthetic and consumer preference reasonsthat the usual lace structure be more closely simulated, and hence a topappearance, such as that of Fig. l, is preferable. To this end, the body10 may be die-cut to approxirnate shape and then press and heat moldedto provide on the body side exposed during use the contour of Fig; 1, orthe body itself may be molded to such structure. Preferably, the bodystructure 10 is molded to shape with the projections 13 molded in placewith the base flange enveloped by the body material. Thus, as shown forthe member 1341 in Fig. 2, a round ilange 16 may be molded into the endof the cross reach 12, or as shown at 13 for a member other than aterminal member, a V-shaped flange or base projection may be provided asthe base of 13 with the arms of the V disposed roughly in the directionof the corresponding intersecting reaches 11, 12.

The bow structure of Figs. 6 and 7 is essentially similar, the bow beingmolded to shape with the holding lugs or projections 13b incorporated atproper position. Where size, the broad end terminal portion of the bodymay include such bow as an integral formation. However, where the wideradaptability for shoe and foot sizes and shapes is desired as providedby the tapered relation of the two series of holding projections, suchbow structure is preferably separate for the reasons hereinafter stated.

By the provision of arfastening device oversize n length, as shown inFig. 3, due to the range of divergency of position of the series offastening lugs 14 and 1'5, a section of the length may be chosen whereinthe fasteuing lugs are spaced in a manner adapted to fitting aparticular shoe and wearer, and as indicated by the dashed lines A--Aand B--B, the selected length section may be cut for application to ashoe. Thus, in Figs. 4 and 5, showing the overall structure of theinvention including the apertured edges of the material secured and thefastener, there is represented such selected portion of a device as thatshown in Figs. 1 to 3, positioned over most of its length on shoe S. Ateach side, the series of lugs 14, 15 are inserted in the correspondingside panel 21 of the shoe top through the row of lace apertures 22therein. The lugs may be applied from the bottom upward in the manner inwhich a shoe is laced by alternate insertion of corresponding lug pairsup the length of the device with the body portion 10 being stretched toattain insertion of each lug. When the top terminal end is reached, abow, such as that of Figs. 6 and 7, may then be inserted within a toppair of holes left vacant therefor, or by suitable sizing of the lugs13b of the bow, by superimposing the bow across the terminal portions ofthe selected section of the device of Fig. 1, the lugs 13b being.pressed inward through the same apertures as those of the main portionof the fastening device.

Where the material being secured is itself resilient, or the edges beingsecured to each other are somewhat movable relatve to each other with aseparating force applied parallel to the direction of binding by thefastener, the fastener body may be non-resilient, since the resiliencyor, with the mentioned applied force, the relatve movability of theelements being fastened permits the application of the fastener thereto,as may often be advantageous where this invention is used inenvironments other than shoes. ln the embodiment of the inventionappearing in the drawings, both series of holding lugs project from thesame faces of the plane of the body of the fastener as required by thespecific use shown, but for some cases the two series may be disposed toproject from opposite faces.

Where it'is desired to form the body of the fastener of tough elasticmaterial requiring substantial force for effecting any stretching forsuccessive insertion of the holding lugs in the lace apertures, the openbody form of the drawings is, of course, preferable to a continuousform. Other means than the crown buttons of the drawings adapted to thebody material or sheet material may 'be used, such, for example, as'hooks with a base'portion of form suited to attachment to or imbeddingin the body.

I claim: 1. A device adapted to provide, for a shoe of'a given sizewithin a selected size range of shoes having a common hole spacing inthe series of lace holes of the shoe, a shoe fastener for application tothe usual lace holes in the side panels of the shoe top, comprising: atough elastic body including integrally formed reaches of elasticmaterial intersecting on the median line of the body and in two seriesof apices at the lateral margins of the body to simulate a shoe lace inplace on a shoe, the apices of each series being spaced to correspondwith the lace hole spacing; and a series of projecting lace holeengaging lugs aixed along lateral portions of said body at the apicalinterscctions of said reaches and adapted for removable insertion andengagement in said holes, said lugs being crown buttons with base Hangeportions embedded in the body material and with bulbular free portionsfor engaging side panel material adjacent the lacc holes whereininserted to retain the lugs therein; said body having the two series ofapices disposed n tapernig disposition and having a length exceeding themaximum length of the two lace hole series of shoes in said shoe rangesize, thereby permitting selection and cutting of a length portion fromsaid device forming a shoe fastener with the two lug series spaced fromeach other to provide spacing somewhat less than the spacing of the saidseries of lacc holes of the shoe, when the said side panels of the shoeare in normal wearing disposition, whereby stretching of the bodynecessitated in inserting said lugs in the lace holes develops a holdingforce applied to the panels and drawing the panels together.

2. A device adapted to provide, for a shoe of a given size within aselected size range of shoes having a common hole spacing n the seriesof lacc holes of the shoe. a shoe fastener for application tc the usuallace holes in the side panels of the shoe top, comprising: a toughelastic body including integrally formed reaches of elastic materialintersecting on the median line of the body and in two series of apicesat the lateral margins of the body to simulate a shoe lace n place on ashoe, the apices of each series being spaced to correspond with the lacehole spacing; and a series of projecting lace hole engaging lugs afiixedalong lateral portions of said body at the apical interscctions of saidreaches and adapted for removable insertion and engagement in saidholes, said lugs having free end portions adapted in form for engagingside panel material adjacent the lacc holes wherein inserted to retainthe lugs therein; said body having the two series of apices disposed intapering disposition and having a length exceeding the maximum length ofthe two lace hole series of shoes n said shoe range size, therebypermitting selection and cutting of a length portion from said deviceforming a shoe fastener with the two lug series spaced from each otherto provide spacing somewhat less than the spacing of the said series oflace holes of the shoes, when the said side panels of the shoe are innormal wearing disposition, whereby stretching of the body necessitatedin inserting said lugs in the lace holes develops a 'holding forceapplied to the panels and drawing the panels together.

References Citeti n the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS l56,2l8Haight Oct. 27, 1874 627,441 Peck June 20, 1899 677,539 Donovan July 2,1901 705,356 Jordan July 22, 1902 753,776 Wise Mar. 4, 1904 789,474 WoodMay 9, 1905 l,083,573 Wehrwein Jan. 6, 1914 1,600,85l Sego Sept. 21,1926

